Portable bleacher



May 6, 1941.

D. E. VANCE ET AL PORTABLE BLEACHER Filed Sept. 3, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1W NN DOA/A40 ,5. Mq/vcf,

May 6, 1941. D. E. VANCE ETAL PORTABLE BLEACHER Filed Sept. 3, 1938 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Wag. 3.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 D. E. VANCE EIAL PORTABLE BLEACHER Filed Sept. 3, 1938May 6, 1941.

Patented May 6, 1941 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE 2,241,281 PORTABLEBLEACH-ER.

Donald E. Vance and Harold C. Vance, Champaign, Ill.

5 Claims.

This invention relates to, stands or bleachers,

and more particularly to. aportable structure of this kind. 7

object of this invention is to provide a portable bleacher orgrandstand; which may be readily set up at a desirable location, thestructure bein of such a construction that additional units or sectionsmay be readily coupled there with so as to provide the desired size ofstand or bleacher.

Another object of a structure of this. kind taken apart in. units sostructure may be readily or, like vehicles, I

A further object of this invention is to provide a structure of thiskind including an improvedv connecting or coupling means betweenadjacent units so as to securely lock the units together. I A stillfurther object of this invention is to provide in a structure of) thiskind an improved connecting means which may be used not only to connectthe sevthis invention is to provide which may be readily transported ontrucks eral, units together, but also to support foot,

boards. t

Still another object of this invention is to provide a collapsiblestructure of this kind which comprises lightness in weight with strengthso that the assembled stand will withstand the necessary stresses andweight. I

With the foregoing" andother object which may hereinafter appear, ourinvention consists of the novel, construction; combination and ary bemore specifically referred to and as are illustrated in the accompanyindrawingswherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to beunderstood that changes, variations andmodifications may be resorted towhich fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings: r

Figure 1 is a detail end; elevation of a pair of stand sectionsconstructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

rangementof parts as will FigureZ is a fragmentary rear elevation ofthe;

stand,

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of one of the supporting units for one ofthe stand sections,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the stand sections partlybroken away showing the manner of assembling the several unitscomprising a stand section, V

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary end ele vation of a pair o f units.showing the manner of coupling or connecting the units together,

that they disassembled between the several units.

'1 one leg thereof vertical,

i of upright posts Figure 9 is a detail end elevationof the oppo-- siteend of the connecting unit shown in Figure 8-,

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the lineIll-40 of Figure 6,

t Figure 11 is a fragmentary front elevation of one of the posts,

Figure 12. is a detail front elevation partly broken away of one of thesupporting posts,

Figure 13. is a sectional view taken on the line l3--I3 of Figure 12,

Figure '14 is a sectional view taken on the line 14- of Figure 13,

Figure 15 isa detail end elevation of one of the seat supportin memberssecured to a supporting post, and

Figure 16 is a, fragmentary top plan of the connecting means between thebase positions of adjacent stand sections.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figure 1, the numeral 28designates generally one stand section, and the numeral 2| designates asecond stand section constructed according to the embodiment of thisinvention. The stand section 211 is a lower or smaller stand sectionwhich has the seats thereof increasing in height toward the rear, andthe stand section 2| has the lowermost seat thereof elevated above theuppermost seat ofthe front stand section 20, and the succeeding seats inthe stand section 2| rise in regular order. 7

The stand section 20 is constructed of a plurality of units eachsupported on a pair of base or supporting members 22, These base mem- Tbers 22 are constructed preferably of a fiat board of suitable thicknessand each base member 22 has secured to the upper surface thereof anelongated angle bar 23 which is secured as by bolts 24 or the like. Theangle bar 23 has v and this vertical leg 25 is provided with a pluralityof longitudinal spaced apart slots 26 which open through the upper edgeof the vertical flange or leg 25.

The supporting units each comprise a pair 21 which are fixedly connectedtogether by means of a pair of crossed bracing members 28 and 29. Theopposite ends of the bracing members 28 and 29 may be welded orotherwise fixedly secured to a side of the posts The posts 21 areconstructed in channel or U-shaped form as shown in Figure 6, and thebracing members 28 and 29 are secured to the web or bight 48 of thechannel member 21. Each channel member 21 is provided, adjacent thelower end thereof with a bolt 30 provided with a head 3| which is spacedfrom one leg or side of the channel member 21 and each bolt 38 ispreferably welded or otherwise fixed to the opposite sides or legs of achannel member 21. a

The vertical flange 25 of the angle bar 23 is adapted to engage betweenthe head 3| and the adjacent side of a post 21 as shown in Figure 12.The upper end of each post 21 has fixedly secured thereto a rightangularly disposed angle bar 32' which has a vertical leg 33 fixed as bywelding or the like to one side of the post 21, and the other leg 34 ishorizontal the top of the post 21. The anglemember, 32 comprises a seatsupporting means which is fixed to the top of the post 21 and each sup--porting member 32 is provided at the opposite ends thereof with upwardlyprojecting lugs or plates 35.

A channeled seat board supporting member 36 is adapted to engage on theupper or horizontal leg 34 of the angle member 32, and the abutting endsof a pair of seat boards 31 are adapted to engage in the channel member'36 as shown in Figure 12. In this manner the seat supporting boards 31at their abutting en?ds will not overlap each other as is the standstructures at present available:

The bottom wall 38 of the'channel member 36 is provided with adownwardly oifset tongue '39 engaging beneath the horizontal'flange 34of the angle member 32, and in order toprovide a relatively tight fiteach angle member 32 is provided with an insert 45 which is secured tothe underside of the flange 34 at substantially the longitudinal centerthereof.

The channel member 36 is adapted to engage between each pair of upwardlyextending lugs so that the channel member 36 will be held againstlateral movement on top of each post 21. The end channel members 36 areprovided with upwardly extending portions 65 engageable with the ends ofthe foot boards 56 to hold the foot boards 56 against endwise movement.

The foremost or lowermost post 21 is supported in vertical position orat right angles relative to the base bar 23 by means of a brace 4| whichis bolted at its upper end as at 42 to the post 21. The lower end of thebrace 4| is bolted as at 43 to the vertical flange 25 of the angle bar23 adjacent the forward end of the angle bar 23. A preceding unitcomprising a pair of posts 21 and bracing members 28 and 29 is held in avertical position and connected to a succeeding unit by means of a pairof horizontally disposed connecting bars 44 which also serve the purposeof supporting foot boards 56 below the seat boards 31. I I 9 Thecombined connecting bars and foot board supporting members 44 areconstructed in channel or U-shaped form as shown in Figures 8 and 9, andone end of the channel bar 44 has fixedly secured thereto a rightangularly disposed bar 45 which extends above and below the bar 441 Therear side of a preceding post 21 isprovided with a U-shaped saddlemember46which has the parallel legs thereof'wel'ded or otherwise fixedlysecured to the outer sides of the parallel leg of the post 21.

case with and overlies The bight 41 of the saddle member 45 ispositioned in spaced relation to the bight 48 of the post 21 so that thedownwardly projecting portion 49 of the bar 45 may engage in the pocket50 formed'between the bights 41 and 48. The upwardly projecting portion5| of the bar 45 is adapted to engage fiat against the bight 48 of thepost 21 so as to hold the bar 44 against movement in one directionrelative to the part 21 while the lower projecting post 49 holds the bar44 against movement relative to the post 21 in the opposite direction.

The open side of a post 21 of a succeeding unit is provided with a plate52 which engages against the legs of the post 21 being welded orotherwise fixedly secured thereto with the upper edge thereofsubstantially coplanar with the upper edge of the saddle 46 so that theconnecting bar 44 will be disposed in substantially a horizontalposition and with the open side or parallel legs of the connecting bar44 resting on the upper edge of the saddle 45 and the plate 52. Y Y

The connecting bar 44 has a coupling member 53 at the opposite endthereof which is constructed in the form of a square tubular membersecured as by welding or the like to theadjacent end of the connectingbar 44. This coupling member 53 isadapted to engage between the parallelsides or legs of the post 21 inwardly. of theplate 52 as shown in Figure10. A bolt 54 is threaded throughthe bight 43 of the post 21 andcontacts with the depending member 53 so as to hold this member 53against vertical movement interiorly of the post 21. A look nut 55 isthreaded onto the ,bolt 54 and provides a means for lockingth bolt 54against rotation after it has been tightened to the desired degree.

The connecting bars 44 are adapted to have one or more foot'boards 56secured thereto as by bolts 51. In, the present instance there are twoof such foot boards 56, but it will be understood that one or more ofsuch boards may be used.

The foot boards 56 also providea means for holding the connecting barsagainst separation and provide an additional means for strengthening thestand structure.

The stand section 2| is porting units 21, 28, and 29 section 20, but theposts 21 cf the section 2| are considerably higher or longer, and inorder to provide a means whereby the posts 21 of the stand section 2|may be held against tilting forward or backward we have provided aplurality of crossed bracing members 58 and 59. These bracing members 58and 59 are bolted or otherwise secured at their intersecting portions bymeans of a rivet or bolt 68, and the opposite ends of the bracingmembers 58 and 59 are secured to the posts 21 by means of bolts 6|.

In practice these bracing members 58 and '59 areof such length as toextend between at least three posts 21 with the intermediate post at thecrossing of braces 58 and 59 so that if desired, the bolt 60 may also beextended through the intermediate post 21 as shown in Figure l. Thefirst bracing means comprising the two braces 58 and 59 connect therearmost posts 21 of the front section 25 with the adjacent posts. 21 cfthe rear section 2 The front section 2|] is not shown as having anybracing members similar to 53 and 59 which brace the-stand againstforward and rearward constructed of supstresses; other than the frontbracing member 4 However, if desired, the units comprising the similarto the stand front section 20 may be suitably braced by bracing memberssimilar to 58 and 59.

The two sections 28 and 21- are tied together at their bases by means ofa looped strap or clevis 62 which is bolted or otherwise fixed to one ofthe base members 22 and this loop or clevis 62 is adapted to engage overa hook 53 carried by a succeeding base member 22. The coupling between apreceding and a succeeding base member 22 is relatively loose so thatthe desired connection may be made between the front section 20 and therear sectionZl by means of the connectinc bars 4 In the assembling ofthis stand structure, the base members or sills 22 are laid fiat on theground in parallel relation and in the present instance four of thesesills or base members 22 are used for each section 20 and 2|. Thesections 20 and 2! have a length substantially equal to the length ofthe seat boards 31 and the foot boards 56. It will be understood,however, that other sections 20 may be disposed in end abutting relationso as to provide the desired length of stand in addition to the desireddepth, which depth is accomplished by coupling a section 2| to a section20. With the base members 22 having the angle bars 23 secured thereto,positioned in substantially the same horizontal plane, each aligned pairof base members 22 are connected together by means of the clevis 62 andthe book 53.

The foremost unit comprising a pair of posts 21 and bracing members 28and 29 is firmly secured to a pair of base members by means of thebracing members 4|, and with the foremost unit in position, a succeedingunit is engaged with the base members 22 and 23 and then a pair ofconnecting bars M are intercoupled with the preceding and succeedingunits with the depending coupling member 53 engaging in the forward open1 side of a succeeding post 21 and with the forward coupling member 45engaging a saddle 46 of a preceding post.

In Figure 4 there is shown the manner of assembling the stand structurewherein the front portions of the section 2!] are already assembled, andthe rear units of this section are in a position for coupling thesucceeding units. It will be noted that the succeeding units each havethe connecting bars 44 secured thereto by means of the locking members54 after which the units are rocked forwardly with the bolt 30 engagedin a slot 255 of the angle member 23. It will be understood that inorder to snugly couple the coupling member .5 it may be necessary toslightly raise the succeeding unit in the slot 26 so that the dependingpart 49 of the coupling member 45 may readily engage in the pocket 50.

The lower ends of the bracing members 58 and 59 are adapted to engagethe extended or threaded portion of the bolt 30 as shown in Figure 12,and a nut 64 is threaded onto the bolt 30 so as to tightly hold thebracing members 58 and 59 at their lower ends onto the posts 2'1.

A stand or bleacher constructed according to this invention can bemanufactured at a relatively small cost, and can be erected with the useof a minimum amount of labor and when erected will safely hold personsup to the capacity of each section in a comfortable manner. After theuse for which the stand has been erected has passed, the stand can becollapsed by uncoupling the several units as hereinbefore described. Astand constructed according to this invention embodies the use of arelatively small number of small parts so that such small parts will notreadily become lost during the transportation of the collapsed stand orduring the erecting or dismantling of the stand.

What we claim is:

1. In a portable stand structure of that type including parallel spacedsets of spaced parallel uprights carrying seat board supports, thecombination of sets of horizontally disposed spaced yokes integral withand extending rearwardly from eacnof the said uprights other than therearmost uprights, a support secured to the forward race of each of thesaid uprights other than the foremost uprights, foot board supportingmembers arranged between the uprights of each set and removably mountedon said yokes and supports, said members having vertically extendingmeans at their forward ends bearing against the rear faces of theuprights other than the rearmost uprights and extending downwardlythrough said yokes, said members having vertically extending means attheir rear ends arranged in the uprights having connected thereto saidsupports and disposed rearwardly of the latter, and forwardly andrearwardly adjustable clamping structures connected to the uprightsother than the foremost uprights, correlating with the verticallyextending means at the rear ends of said members to provide whenadjusted forwardly for detachably clamping said members to the uprights.

2. In a portable stand structure of that type including spaced paralleluprights of forwardly opening channel like form and seat boardsconnected with the upper ends of said uprights, the combination ofspaced sets of spaced foot rest board supporting elements, the elementsof each set being arranged between the uprights of a set, a horizontallydisposed yoke-shaped front support secured to the sides of each uprightof a set other than the rear upright of the set, the bights of saidsupports being spaced from the rear faces of those uprights to which thesupports are secured, rear supports secured to and disposed transverselyof the front faces of each upright of a set other than the front uprightof the set, each of said elements being mounted at its ends on a frontand a rear support, each of said elements having a bar at its forwardend extending into the front support and a coupling member at its rearend arranged in an upright rearwardly of the rear support secured to thelatter, and clamping means carried by the uprights of a set to which therear supports are secured and engaging'said coupling members fordetachably clamping the elements to the uprights.

3. In a portable stand structure of that type including a seat board andan upright, the combination of an angle-shaped support includingrespectively a vertical leg having its forward face secured intermediateits ends to one side face of the upright and a horizontal leg arrangedover and spaced from the top of the upright, an insert secured to thelower face of said horizontal leg, and a seat board support positionedon and transversely of said horizontal leg and formed on its bottom withan offset tongue lengthwise thereof bearing against the lower face ofsaid insert for detachably connecting said seat board support with saidupright.

l. The invention as set forth by claim 3 having combined therewith apair of vertically disposed lugs, each secured to an edge part of saidlegs,

flush with the rear face of the vertical leg'and extending above thehorizontal leg.

5. In a portable stand structure of that type including seat and footboards, a supporting structure for said boards comprising thecombination of a set of spaced parallel flat base members, parallelangle-shaped bars each formed of a horizontal leg and a vertical leg,said horizontal legs disposed upon and lengthwise of the upper faces ofsaid members, countersunk means for detachably securing said horizontallegs to said members, said vertical legs being formed with spacednotches opening at their upper edges, spaced sets of spaced forwardlyopening channelled uprights" having said boards connected therewith,each set of uprights mounted-Qua horizontal leg and bearing against theforward face-of a vertical leg, spaced sets of upstanding oppositelydisposed inclined bracing elements, means for securing the upper ends ofsaid elements to certain of said uprights, holdfast means extendingthrough said notches connecting the lower endsof said uprights to saidvertical legs, and certain of said holdfast devices detachablyconnecting the lower ends of said elements to the said certain of saiduprights.

DONALD E. VANCE. HAROLD C. VANCE-

